Grain-loading-spout regulator



Dec. 25 1923;

w. G. SLATER GRAIN LOADING SPOUT REGULATOR Fil'd Jun 13. 19 22 Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT orrice.

WALTER. GAY SLATER, OF WILEY, COLORADO.

. GBAIN-LOADING-SPGUT REGULATOR.

Application filed June 13, 1922. Serial No. 567,996.

spouts, which shall enable a container, such as a box car, to be uniformly loaded from end to end and from front to back, without the necessity of entering the car on the part of the operator.

According to the practice heretofore followed at most grainelevators, the spout is carried into the car and fastenedin place, requiring the operatorto enter the car when the spout is to be changed over to the other side. I 2

According to the present invention the spout is provided with a socket or a pair of sockets at the discharge end, to receive the end of a. guiding and controlling rod which cooperates with very simple guiding and retaining means adapted to be detachably supported on the top of the grain door. The rod carries a handle at its outer end which constitutes a unitary control by which the rod can be manipulated and the spout held in any direetion desired, right or left, up orrdown, inwardly or outwardly toward the door, by simply pushing in and out and swinging the rod.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

F 1 is a sectional view through the door of a grain car showing my spout regulator attached thereto; 7

Fig. 2is a detail perspective view of the two parts of the swiveled guide and detent for the operating rod;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the end of the spout with clamping band and rod sockets attached thereto; and i 1 Fig. 4 is a detail in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow, and with the end of the rod in sorted in that socket.

Referring to Fig. 1, the car body 1 is provided with a door frame to which are fitted grain door sections 11 to retain the grain as it is fed into the car through the spout 2. This spout, which may be of any suitable or well known form, swings freely right and left, and up and down, but being loaded, and having weight of its own, has a normal tendency to pull outward and withdraw itself from the car. I take advantage of this tendency in controlling it. Around the end of'the spout I attach a clamping ring secured by bolts through flanges 21, and carrying apair of sockets 22 on opposite sides. Cooperating with this I provide a rod 3, the end of which is shaped to fit either one of the sockets 22, and which along the lower portion ofits body is pro vided with ratchet teeth 31. The rod is manipulated from without the car by means of a handle 32, and'is guided, supported, and

locked in position when set, by means of the guide head 4 formed with a channel open at the top and swiveled on a stud 41 on a clamp 42 provided with clamping screw 43 adapted to bev turned through the sings or equivalent means 44. The stud 41 is perforated for reception of acotter pin at 45 whereby the head 4 is held agaii'ist' displacement. Transversely of the channel within the guide head I provide a latch strip 46 which may be and preferably is of hardened steel beveled off to a dull edge. When one side becomes worn it. can be turned over and the other edge broughtinto use. This steel latch strip is inserted through lateral slots 4'7 and held in place by a small set screw, the stripitself being preferablyperforated in each end to receive the end of said screw to insure a perfect lock.

The operation of thedevice thus described is as follows: The clamp 42 is first adjusted and secured upon the top edge of the grain door 11, the guide head 4 secured upon it,

the end of the spout 2 is placed in position over the edge of the door, the end of the rod 8 is slid into one of the cups 22 at the side of the spout, the rod is pushed inward toward the center of the car raising it high enough to enable-it to be dropped laterally into the channel in the pivoted guide head 4, after which theh'a'ndle end is swung around turning the head 4 on its stud 41, until the spout strikes one side of the car door. The rod is then pushed inwardly of the car so that the spout will go up into place ready to load, the ratchet teeth 31 looking it in such position by their engagement with the steel latching strip or detent 46. The adjustment of the" rod and of the spout can be changed at any time by giving the rod a half turn to disengage the ratchet teeth 31 from the strip, 4C6 and then pushing in or out as desired. To reverse the ends, the handle is swung so as to turn the guide head'on its stud 4L1, and if desired. the rod can be shifted from one cup to the other. When the spout is to be lowered or taken down the handle of the rod is given a half turn as before to release the notches and let the rod slide back.

As some elevators have shorter spouts than others, it will some times be found necessary to let the spout down and move the clamp/l2 over a little in changing the spout from one end of the car to the other, but with ten sections in the general sectional loading spout, and with a proper fall from the main spout, it is possible with this invention to change the spout from one end of the car to the other without even shuttin off the grain.

It may be stated in closing that in actual practice, and compared with the old methods of securing the spout on the inside of the car, this device has the following ad vantages: (1), it saves at least thirty min utes in loading each car of grain; (2), all devices for securing the spout inside of the car are eliminated; (3), the operator is not required to enter the car while loading; (4), no scooping back is necessary in the car; (.5), the car can be loaded properly with one-half the labor heretofore required; (6), the operator is not required to enter the car for any purpose after it has been coopered; (7), if a switch engine comes on the siding, and the spout has to be taken down temporarily, this can be accomplished on a moments notice, and when the car is returned the spout can be replaced as quickly. In explanation of the last point it may be stated, that in actual use the time required to put the clamp in place and the spout in loading position is just one minute. I wish it distinctly understood that divers modifications may be made in matters of detail, Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I contemplate all such changes and modifications as fall fairly within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A grain loading spout regulator comprising a rod having one end engaging the free end of the spout through a universal connection, a swivel guide head for said rod adapted to be attached to the side of a vehicle to be loaded and having a guiding channel for the rod open at the top to permit lateral insertion of the rod, a ratchet tooth rack on the bottom of the rod, a ratchet engaging member at the bottom of the channel in the guide head, said complementary ratchet elements being arranged to engage under the force of gravity to hold the rod against outward ,movement and to disengage upon rotation of the rod, and a single controlling: handle for manipulating the rod for universal movement of the spout and controlling the engagement and disengagement of the ratchet elements.

2. A grain loading spout regulator comprising a rod engaging the free end of the spout, a swivel guide'head for said rod adapted to be attached to the side of a vehicle to be loaded and having a guiding channel for the rod open at the top to permit lateral insertion of the rod in the swivel head, a ratchet tooth rack on the bottom of the rod, a removable detent for said rack in the bottom of the channel in the swivel head, said rack and detent being arranged to engage under the force of gravity and hold the rod against outward movement and a single controlling handle for manipulating the rod for universal movement of the spout and controlling the engagement and disengagement of the ratchet elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WALTER GAY SLATER. 

